Underwrite the Renovation of Chicago's Historic Uptown Theater

The renovation and reopening of Chicago's historic Uptown Theater would preserve an architectural and cultural landmark, provide a desirable venue for musical productions and other public and private events, and stimulate much needed economic development in the Uptown neighborhood. Whether part of a larger neighborhood revitalization or a one-off project, this graceful and elegant theater must be preserved.

This petition is to demonstrate support for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's stated interest in creating a music district in Uptown, which would include renovation and reopening of Chicago's historic Uptown Theater.

The Uptown Theatre is a massive, ornate movie palace in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Constructed in 1925, it the last of the "big three" movie palaces built by the Balaban & Katz theatre chain. The largest in Chicago, it boasts 4,381 seats and its interior volume is said to be larger than any other movie palace in the United States, including Radio City Music Hall in New York. It occupies over 46,000 square feet of land at the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Broadway in Chicago's Uptown Entertainment District. The mammoth theater has an ornate five story entrance lobby with an eight story façade. Rehabilitation efforts are needed to restore and reopen this historic Chicago landmark, which has been closed to regular audiences since 1981.

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